Review The Denn Restaurant - Northcote

We went on a Thursday just before grand final weekend. The place was quiet and the staff service was really good. They closed the back door as it was really cold and when they realized it was only 3 of us, they asked if we wanted to move to the front which was warmer. The place was very clean. Food was alright. The recommended haloumi chips was the star of the night. I would definitely go back for it again. I had the gnocchi which was ok. My friend’s seafood paella was average. But a good night out as it was not too busy and we received attention from the staff.

Our favourite local restaurant - great food, friendly service, elegant decor, yet casual enough for a coffee or quick lunch. Recommended!

beautiful and interesting interior decor. however do not fancy the seats with no backings and so close to the next table, my body was almost touching the table. anyone fat will never be able to sit there. they do have proper chairs at other sections but have to specify. food was excellent. had the platter to share and the spanish paella which was tasty though a tad too wet. dessert menu wasnt enticing so we skipped.

Overall a solidly good Italian dining experience, and great for those looking for somewhere a little quieter. The prices are a touch high, but the quality we received was enough to let it slide. Also our service could have been a bit quicker. But my partner and I both loved our meals. I'll definitely be back.

Problems can always arise but it's how you deal with them that matters. I had to wait for my pizza due to a problem with the oven. Staff couldn't have been more apologetic, providing me with a complimentary glass of wine and side salad. All in all had a great meal with friendly service at a nice venue.

Only giving one star because giving none isn’t an option. If you like paying average prices for terrible food this is the place for you. We had the misfortune of sitting near the kitchen which was filthy and enough to put you off your food. The food was terrible, smelt bad and I could only manage one mouthful. Was polite to manager at the end and said we didn’t want to pay for one meal as it was inedible - he got pretty offended and said everyone else had liked it and refused to take it off the bill. All in all - Gross, avoid at all costs

We've popped in here a few times for a quick bite before seeing a film at the Westgarth. I love their eye fillet wrapped in bacon. A single pizza can be enough for two people, depending on your hunger. We had their signature "Denn" pizza with pulled duck, crispy bacon, blue cheese, tomatoes and barbecue sauce, plus a jug of sangria. I expected to be hit in the face with all the different strong flavours on the pizza, but they worked well together and it was tasty. The sangria seemed very watery - not the dark red wine base for which it is named - and had a low alcohol level. For $30 a jug you expect the full kick.

Loved it. Food was above excellent. Staff nice. Bartender knows his drinks. Was here 2 or 3 years ago and read not impressed. Went to celebrate an 18th birthday and everyone enjoyed the staff.. food... selection.. it may now become a regular!

This place is in such a great location... right next to westgarth cinema , which makes it a perfect pre or post movie restaurant. Unfortunately the food and ambience are pretty awful. The space feels dark and cavernous - so much could be improved here. And the food is just a bit wrong. Parma with beetroot slaw... weird. <br/>We ordered 5 appetisers as part of a platter. The meatballs were quite tasty and the octopus was tender. But on the whole nothing was great and much of it was bordering on a bit yuck. The saganaki was covered in a very strong (rose?) flavoured jelly. The edamame were over cooked and bland. All in all everything felt a bit sloppy. This could be such a great spot, but they really need a new chef and a bit of a makeover

This place has has a great feel to it, you walk in and feel instantly warm and welcomed, there are different pockets of seating that also add to the unique feel of The Denn.  The food menu is decent with some great Tapas options that are really well prepared and tasty.  The Paella was a generous serve and had fantastic flavour but unfortunately the seafood was overcooked.  The Wagu beef burger my friend had was dry and difficult to eat but otherwise flavorsome. The service was pretty good however some of the staff need to have a better understanding of the drinks menu, in particular the wines.  The bar is really well stocked and lends itself to being a great catch-up venue with friends for drinks and Tapas in particular.  Would happily return here as the food is decent (although some of the dishes are a tad pricey) and the energy of the place is awesome.

Gives me no pleasure to give this place a bad wrap...especially as the service and atmosphere promised so much more.<br/><br/>I ducked in here looking for quick feed of pasta. There were two covers already seated. My order was taken promptly, garlic bread and linguini carbonara.<br/><br/>I waited , waited and after 20 mins some form of dried pita bread was served up with toasted garlic on top. It might have worked served with a soup or a heavy sauce based main, but as an entree it may as well have been dried biscuits.<br/><br/>I waited and waited....and 30 mins after seating my meal arrived.<br/><br/>What I received was an oily conglomerate of gluey pasta, mushrooms, some bacon and some unidentified green matter.<br/><br/>Served on top was a poached egg.<br/><br/>No parmesan cheese in sight.<br/><br/>Normally Id be please to receive a carbonara without half a dairy unloaded on it, but the chef seemed to think half an olive vat would make a better option.<br/><br/>Worse, there was an inappropriate indulgence of garlic oil instead of a light addition of fresh sauted product.<br/><br/>Overall a lame attempt to serve up something different, which was sadly underwhelming and slightly sickly. I didnt touch the egg, I prefer my food cooked for me.<br/><br/>All in all a miserable experience and the two stars are for the attendant waitresses.<br/><br/><br/><br/>

We had friends flying down from Sydney so ended up coming in for a late dinner here at The Denn on the Westgarth shopping strip in Northcote. It was cosy warm inside and there was an impressive bar collection. Given by the time everyone else arrived it was around 8:40 I was hungry keen to get going on the ordering. Between the six of us we ordered about four entrees and shared. <br/><br/>I loved the Saganaki which was interestingly paired with a berry compote which I was quite cynical of initially but it grew on me.<br/><br/>For mains I ordered the lamb three ways. To be honest that was the first dish I saw and I was pretty much sold. Lamb came in the form of slow cooked ribs, slow cooked lamb shoulder and a medium rare loin all with various accompanying salads and greens. Really enjoyed the ribs and the loin but the lamb shoulder was shredded and quite dry for my taste. <br/><br/>KD ordered the Caprese pizza and asked for anchovies which she loved. The pizza base was a little good but didn’t have that spring to it that I prefer. KD really enjoyed her pizza.<br/><br/>While other drank wine and cocktails I was feeling FOMO due to partaking in dry July but the bar staff were happy to make up a fruiting not alcoholic version of what I assume was a apple and strawberry mojito. <br/><br/>We wrapped up the night eating<br/>New your style cheesecake with ice cream and a bright vivid fruit collection. <br/><br/>Service was very good and we were checked in with several occasions to ask about how everything was. We stayed a good half and hour past The Denn’s Closing time while we caught up with Sydney friends and front end staff were perfectly calm and courteous. Had it have been me I would have wanted to shoo us out the door.

Well knock me down. I hadn’t been to Denn for years. Went here on a whim tonight as my good friend and I were catching a movie at the nearby Westgarth Cinema (Breath was the movie - very good - 7.7 out of 10). I had a few concerns with the bistro a few years ago. But you have to let these things go don’t you especially given the reasonable rating this place carries these days. I was ultimately glad we chose the venue. The server assured me solemnly that the beef cheeks were good and she was spot on the mark. The generous portion, gorgeously cooked and presented, accompanying beans and snow peas, made me a mighty happy chappie. It was a lovely dish. My colleague’s vegan paella was also reported to be excellent (he insisted strongly that I add the vegan bit). Add lovely warm surroundings, an excellent and attentive server and an inky Heathcote Shiraz and you’ve got a very satisfactory overall experience. Denn, I think I’ve been unfair to you in the past.

Very Friendly service. Nice and comfortable seating. We had the Wagyu burger, Paella, baby octopus. Burger patty was just a little on the dry side but overall still pretty good. Paella was nice and had good flavor. Baby Octopus was nice although the serving size was smallish.

I come to the denn quite frequently as I live 50 m away.. this place has always got great tasty food and the staff are awesome too .... get down there and have a feed

Great little spot for some tapas. Tried the Mushroom 3 ways with the Danish fetta one being the pick of the 3. Also tried the Spanish chrorizo and the saganaki with berry jam on the side. Prob best to leave the Saganaki as is though guys it doesnt need a sweet element to it lemon only.

Dropped in for dinner on Saturday night, it was a fantastic evening so we decided to sit outside- staff were prompt and service was ok - we ordered meatball pasta and the quinoa salad and added lamb. <br/>The pasta was good but we did have a giggle at presentation..... the plate was huge! <br/>Quinoa salad was ordinary- a couple of tiny bits of pumpkin and beetroot and perhaps 5 pomegranate seeds, though the lamb was beautifully cooked.<br/>The reason for my low rating is because a women came to sit outside from the inside of the restaurant and had a cigarette- this was the reason we quickly left and declined dessert and coffees, it was disappointing that the male staff member did not address this and as I’m 7 months pregnant can’t stomach the smell and also it is against the law to allow smokers if outside dining is allowed

The service was fab. Very attentive & good sense of humour. The house red was beautiful. This place is lovely & quiet if u want to actually talk in a peaceful environment. The tapas of saganaki & stuffed mushrooms were lovely. The paella was flavorsome & cooked authentically. The lamb 3 ways was awesome. Well cooked & tender. I came on a groupon voucher. Was less economical given we had to pay an extra $10 each for the actual meals we wanted (lamb 3 ways & seafood paella) as oppose to the pizza/pasta options. I think a $5 extra would have been more reasonable. To improve some more decore, such as hanging plants etc could help. Also maybe prices are a bit steep (without voucher) on the whole.

Came to this restaurant a couple weeks ago with a Groupon voucher for 6 people. Unfortunately, the 6th person was not able to attend. We decided that the 6th meal be shared between the remaining 5, however the manager did not agree to this for the fact the 6th person was not there (even though we paid for it). <br/><br/>The voucher conditions did not state this otherwise, however the manager did not care, he made a spare of the moment decision (obviously in dying need to save a few $$$)<br/><br/>I had the ‘mushroom 3 ways’ for entrée and the ‘Mediterranean Chicken’ for main. Both lacked significant taste. I think they have changed hands, as the quality was just not there. This place used to be a regular for us, not anymore. Extremely disappointing!<br/><br/>

UPDATE 20/10/2017<br/><br/>Good team with an over-zealous Manager ...... can be "very" slow ......<br/><br/>Yes, it was a Friday night and we've reserved our table and you know that we are coming; table weren't ready, hit and miss with your food, same order came out separately, 1 out of 12 of us must wait for their Barramundi for more than an hour ..... not a great feeling.<br/><br/>Told by the Manager to wait outside while waiting for our table, that we've reserved, while there are other seats around and it's quite chill, not Summer yet.<br/><br/>Mains are between good and bad, one Barramundi exceptionally took more than 1 hour to be served, I don't think it was flown from Darwin.<br/><br/>They have the potential to do better than that ..... surely.<br/><br/>PREVIOUS<br/> 3.5/5<br/><br/>Tapas night was an enjoyable interesting introduction experience to the Denn, a few good ones .... Eggplant Chips, Popcorn Chicken and Grilled Saganaki.<br/><br/>House wines are ordinary, service was good and efficient by the young ladies. JT-30/09/2017.

I found the service here relaxed and friendly and the seating comfortable. The food however was a mixed bag out of the six mains delivered. I have to admit I'm not a fan of the tag 'Modern Australian' but if the food is consistent I can go with it. Unfortunately 2 dishes were rubbish, two average and two quite nice. <br/><br/>Lamb Three Ways: Ordered it medium rare, it came as medium. Picky? Not really if you are paying a professional to cook it. It came on a board (don't like that) with the lamb ribs particularly unpleasant - greasy with loads of unrendered fat. Included was a salad from the Seventies with raw carrots. The pulled lamb was bland and sat on a very cold puree. Not happy Jan.<br/><br/>The Vegetarian pizza seriously lacked flavour and was dominated by under cooked (re hard) pumpkin and the base was not great. This street has so many good pizzerias how can this happen??<br/><br/>Better but still not great was the Barramundi, it came out very very close to being overcooked and the accompanying veg a letdown. I realise it's a difficult fish to cook perfectly but again if you are paying then it should be done right. The other fish dish, appropriately named fish and chips was reasonable but again on a wooden board - did I mention how stupid wooden boards are?<br/><br/>The two dishes that shone was the Seafood Paella - well made, seasoned perfectly and with quite a lot of different proteins. The pasta dish my son had was extremely tasty but served on plate the size of a bus wheel.  The tacky crisscross pattern of balsamic vinegar and Parmesan cheese spread around the 10cm plate edge like dandruff showed immaturity. Just put it in a bloody nice bowl and put the Parmesan in another smaller bowl next to it. How hard is that? <br/><br/>I'm being generous by giving a 3.5 but only because two dishes were really yummy but I can't recommend this place if someone asked me. Be aware portion sizes are big - could make entrees or desserts difficult to fit in.

We ordered the den pizza, lamb 3 ways, eggplant chips and the apple berry crumble. Everything was delicious, the pizza had an even ratio of toppings and the lamb was perfectly cooked. The apple berry crumble was really good but it needed more ice cream to balance everything.

Came here on a Monday night. Ordered the mushroom ravioli and girlfriend had the beetroot gnocchi. We also shared the flourless orange cake and snickers addiction. Could not fault the food at all...snicker addictions was by far my favourite. The only negative I'd say was the service was a bit slow, and we had to ask for dessert menu rather than them offering it to us. Will definitely be back!

Pretty a nice cosy busy restaurant. I ordered the beef ribs, however my dish was really cold due to the cold salad that comes with it and it was lack of flavour. It was quite quite disappointing.

Last night was my first time at this restaurant after reading mixed reviews online. I must say everything from the moment I walked in the door until the moment I left was exceptional! The food was cooked to perfection, the service was outstanding, just an all round friendly, welcoming and exceptionally great place. Would very highly reccomend!

Dined here for a birthday lunch and had a great experience. Pork belly tapas was spectacular as was the seafood pizza. Thin crisp crust and plenty of seafood. <br/>Partner had the paella 🥘 which he said was spectacular and the rolled chicken dish also got a big thumbs up. The mini lemon mirangue pie was also amazing, we were all full from lunch so shared one. <br/>Asparagus not being in season looked a little limp and sad on the chicken dish compared to others who've posted pics <br/>We sat outside in the courtyard which was nice but a lot of empty or dead plants on the wall, could do with a spruce up<br/>Overall service was great as was the food, we enjoyed and will definitely dine here again<br/>

Stopped here on a whim - lucky I didn't read the reviews beforehand otherwise we wouldn't have.  We shared two dishes. The quinoa salad with pumpkin, beetroot pomegranate feta & rocket and the Beetroot gnocchi with pine nuts & spinach. Unlike some restaurants, the waitress didn't mind us sharing both meals and bought out small plates for us without me needing to ask.  Both meals were lovely, especially the gnocchi.

Ordered a delivered pizza that took 1/12 hrs to get to us. Arrived tiny and stone cold. So disappointing would never bother again. Maybe they are better dine in?...

Great service and quality dishes at reasonable prices. Pleasant and comfortable environment, although the dying courtyard plants could be better cared for.

Went there last night. Sat down then started reading reviews. Should have walked out but chose to try a couple of starters. The cauliflower one and the sweet potato chips. Both were tasteless. Such a shame the service was fine but we were hungry and ended up stopping on our way home at the supermarket which we never usually do. I eat out most days and am usually pretty easy to please but tasteless food that is just in your mouth if awful.

Where to take visiting parents/grandparents. Not too crazy, absolutely no hipsters, artists, loud people, etc. and definitely something on the menu that dad will like. It's not bad, just standard fare without any flair.

My husband and I enjoy the ambience, the food and the service Sasha is a wonderful host . We enjoy coming here <br/>We mainly have dinner on A Wednesday night <br/>

Went here for lunch and was pleasantly surprised. The service was friendly and lovely. I ordered the pizza which was delicious. Thin based and a generous size for one person. Prices are reasonable as well.

Had a really lovely meal here last night with my parents before a night at the cinema! Staff were friendly, helpful and efficient. Food was extremely good - handmade porcini ravioli was delectable, mum's slow-cooked lamb risotto was more-ish and dad claimed his beef burger to be one of the best he's ever tasted. We shared an Applebee's berry crumble for dessert and kind of wished we'd ordered one each (but our mains had left our stomachs adequately full!). The restaurant has a lovely feel and the space is well-utilized with a little outdoor area out the back. We'll be back and will be recommending to our friends and family!

Previously just order takeaway pizza and it was great. So i decide to try the food here. Spanish paella and the barramundi was absolutely divine. My mom was really love her fish. Will definitely come back.

Our usual place on the same side of Palace Westgarth was closed.  So we went on the other side, on the same side of the Cinema to try Mr. Denn.  We ordered the dips first.  We could not taste any flavour in any of the trio of dips and the accompanying pizza flatbread was very salty and dry.  Next came the pizza and it had no texture and clearly was not cooked at the right temperature.  The ingredients were satisfactory.  When we approached the manager, he became hostile.  Clearly previous reviewers must have selected different foods.  Will not return

I am not sure why anyone would eat food in this place I would have thought bad food restaurant vanished from Melbourne food scene ;)<br/>But unfortunately or fortunately it still exists under the name of Denn in Northcote <br/>Horrible food absolutely everything is over cooked over sweet salad dressings and they even dare to serve old salads and when I pointed at it to stuff members they told me it's like that old salad is like that ;))((<br/>Go and see urself and waste ur $$$ but my prediction is this place will be closed in year or so! <br/>Ciao Denn

Some people clearly have no taste buds and would rate this place a 5. <br/>We ordered the dips with bread.  Followed by 2 pizzas prior seeing a movie.<br/>The 3 dips came after the pizzas and could not believe it.  The 3 dips - pumpkin, baba ganoush and hummus all had NO flavour.  It was hard to work out what was what.  That is why we left the dips and we all agreed that the supermarket has better dips than this.  The reheated pizza flat bits (fresh bread would have been better) were so salty and lots of herbs that when you added the dip on top - it was horrible.  I complained to the Manager and was met with resentment.<br/>I did inquire whether the pizzas were cooked in a wood fired pizza at a high temperature and I was assured they were.  What arrived was very flat.  No crispiness or flavour.  The toppings were adequate.  <br/>Not sure why some people on this site claim the pizzas are good - maybe they have never had a great pizza?

My husband and I went to the Denn for the second time over the weekend. We shared the popcorn chicken and meatballs for starters, both we very delicious. Also the wagu beef burger and pizzas are fantastic. The food came out fast. Great, friendly service. We will be back for sure.

Beautiful little restaurant in the heart of Northcote. Went there last night with my boyfriend for our date night. What a disappointment! As starters we ordered the tapas arancini balls and the baby octopus. For main I had the paella while my partner had the surf and turf steak, requested well done. Very small serving sizes for the starters and the outer crust of the arancini was a bit burnt. Octopus was delicious. My main didn't have that crusty bottom so synonymous with traditional paella and the steak was medium rather than well done which made it chewy and rough. Bill was $110. Worth a try to The Denn I suppose but I won't be back.

Great food great service and extra tasty tapas. Cool little setup in the heart of westgarth easy parking around the side street. Recommend the lamb dish or the pork belly<br/>

On short notice (20mins) I made a booking for 20 on a Sunday night and Sebastian and his team were able to accomodate us. The atmosphere was warm contemporary and inviting. The service was excellent. The tapas and antipasto were the best food choices. The steak was a bit tough and the special marinara pasta had all good ingredients but lacked a bit of virgin olive oil. A great evening all round and we all felt very special.

Venue: Great high st location easy access with transport and car. Modern timber furnishing almost feels like walking in a ski log that makes it appealing on a very cold winter night.<br/><br/>Food: quinoa salad- with all my favourite pumpkin Beetroot pomegranate feta and addition halloumi.<br/>Very fresh salad that's filling, light and very generous serving.<br/>Wagyu burger- it's well made but quite average. <br/>Grilled eggplant- smokey grill on a bed of creamy hommus, throughly enjoyed this dish.<br/>Olive wood fire bread- it was mouthwatering just by looking and smelling the freshly baked bread. Abit salty on its own. Had to eat it with my salad to balance the flavour. <br/>Staff was very helpful, cheerful and easy to chat. Even the chef greeted us when we walked by. Such a friendly team they have here!

Not a bad spot to visit. We attended on a Sunday night. The restaurant was reasonably quiet and getting a seat was no issue. Nice décor and new looking. The lighting / atmosphere makes it an appealing option for a date or romantic evening. Whilst our waitress made a mistake with our entree, she was extremely quick to fix the error; no complaints from us regarding this. The popcorn chicken was a little bit dry and appeared slightly overcooked. The pizzas were good value and I would recommend them. They have an extensive drink menu but could benefit with a little more variety in their cocktail menu.

I got served a Cabernet in an aperitif glass. My burger was well outperformed by McDonalds. Why bother with wagyu beef if you pay no attention to detail? Why is it $18? Next time I say 'just a Denn meal is fine' someone should remember to slap my face.

The Denn went above and beyond for my 45th Birthday function last night who I shared with over 20 guests.<br/><br/>I'd like to thank Sash at The Denn for organising, decorating the beautiful private function area upstairs and went out of his way to create the perfect ambience for the event. Also a big thanks for letting me bringing my own music and turning into my own personal Greek Tavern. We were well looked after, their staff is absolutely amazing, friendly and the food was phenomenal, wide selection of delicious food, some of my guests were vegans and vegetarians and bragged about how delicious the meals were, any drinks, cocktails you can think of was made available.<br/><br/>All my guests couldn't speak highly enough of The Denn and a said they will be dining there again. I will definitely be a regular as there is a lot of beautiful food yet to be explored.<br/><br/>Who ever is thinking of having their function there or wanting to try somethings delicious, decedent and going out to dinner I highly recommend in The Denn - Bar & Restaurant in Northcote.

Great food. Pizzas are the best item on the menu. Would eat here once a fortnight when I lived in the area. Nice modern space and suprising for the mostly victorian building area. Beer options were great too.

Disappointed, the food was average and the service was quite poor. After our mains were cleared away we spent the next 20 minutes trying to get attention from the staff to order coffee and get the bill.

Came here for my sisters birthday and we were treated exceptionally well. The staff were friendly and the food was fantastic. We were even given a complementary bottle of white wine and a Polaroid photo of our table. Would definitely recommended.

Had to wait for a very long time only to be utterly disappointed. The staff were very nice however the food was shocking. Quite turned off pork belly.

Many thanks to all the staff @ Denn restaurant. We are local and come here quite often. There are a lot of changes to the places, especially the food and service. The menu was cater for everyone taste. We will be back here again.

Awful. Horrible, tasteless, oily 'tapas', the eggplant was full of seeds, the saganaki was dry and tough, the first pitcher of water had cucumber in it (?!) and when I asked for some plain water the next one tasted like artificial sweetener had been added (I was told it had likely previously held lemonade). Unsmiling, clueless staff, hot and stuffy without air con on a humid summer evening. A terrible, depressing and not inexpensive experience. You have been warned!

Visit a friend in Northcote, its hard to decide if we should try The Denn restaurant. But we decide to give it a go. It is a busy night for them but the service seems really smooth and the food came out in good time. we have fun with the waiter. The seafood spaghetti and pumpkin gnoochi, both are delish. We will definitely come back.

Very very disappointing. Went there with a living social voucher for a family lunch (8 people). To start with, they didn't have our booking written down - so we had to wait until they set up (not a huge problem if that was the only issue). Once set up, we had to ask for menus, these took about 10 mins to be given to us. Requested drinks menus, after 20 mins went and got the drinks menus myself. I spoke to the waiter about the voucher and only having it on my phone, he said they didn't have a scanner, so I would have to e-mail the voucher through on Monday morning. When we spoke about our options for the mains, we were told that we could ONLY have the rib-eye, and a choice of any pizza of pasta (the deal read as though we could have ANY main meal). Then another employee came to take our order (I assume he was the manager), and scanned my vouchers. When we went to order the rib-eye (8 of us had decided on this) we were told that we had to pre-order the rib-eye. We said that this was not on the voucher, and we were not advised when we booked. He blamed the voucher company saying they wrote the deal wrong. He also said that they had sold about 100 vouchers, so how were they meant to cater for everyone. He explained that the deal included any main (not limited to pizza & pasta like the previous waiter had advised) - which included scotch fillet. So, 4 of us ordered the scotch fillet - the manager then returned and told us they only had 2 scotch fillet left - and 2 people had to change their order. The scotch fillet was overcooked, the pork belly not cooked enough - and the other meals very bland. The manager was very rude and dismissive - and argued with us about the deal being 'rolled out' before it was corrected - not OUR fault. No apologies were made about anything. The best thing about this lunch - the beer!

This place has markedly improved since a couple years ago. We dared to venture back in after seeing some more favourable reviews in recent times. Our earlier experience was over an hour long wait for one awful pizza. This time, service was pleasant and although food was a touch slow to arrive the wait was still acceptable. Food was filling, though lacked any wow factor. Chicken Burger really hit the spot for me. I'll probably be back, without the 3 year gap next time!

This was a hard one to review. There were a few good things and a few bad things.<br/><br/>Firstly, I enjoyed the layout and atmosphere of The Denn. It is located in a vey vibrant area and fits right in. The waiter we had was also very informative and pleasant.<br/><br/>I tried the pork belly, the lamb done three ways, and the wagyu beef burger. Each meal presented very well, but there was something lacking. The pork was tasty but over cooked. The lamb was also over cooked (considering we asked for medium rare) and the flavours weren't anything special. However, the burger was delicious! It was an excellent burger that tasted great, and was cooked well.<br/><br/>To drink I had a vanilla soy chai latte which was also very nice.<br/><br/>Over all the only reason I would go back here was for the burger and chai latte. While it was a comfortably nice atmosphere, most of the food was over cooked and lacked something special. There was also a mix up with the bill at the end which didn't help their case.

Very pleasantly surprised , we have driven past a number of times and finally decided to drop in for dinner. The decor is great , the service is very friendly and attentive. The food is good quality , well presented and reasonably priced. Try the chocolate tasting platter for dessert.

What a shame that a once great institution of High St has become the next Groove Train.<br/>Undercooked pizza, cold burger bun, over cooked chips, chewy haloumi, and not to mention the ridiculous wait for our meals. The Barramundi was the only highlight. The best part was the tradesman working on the restaurant whilst we were dining.<br/>Up your game or close up shop.

I don't even know where to start. The restaurant floor was visibly dirty as was our table. Some tables had pieces of paper underneath them holding them from wobbling. When taking a look at the drinks menu barely anything was available. Half the drinks on the drinks menu were n/a (including all the cocktails) and then the wine we ordered was also not available. A lot of food on the menu also had n/a on it and we were also verbally told of other dishes that were not available. We were told that they were changing managers and this was why a lot of things weren't available but surely you shouldn't have a menu out if half the options are not available. At one stage my partner went to use the bathroom and said there was no toilet seat on the toilet (just the porcelain bowl) and that the toilet bowl was covered in faeces and needed a good clean.I later went to use the female toilets and found faeces on the actual toilet seat and covering all the bowl. I tried to use the disabled toilet but this also exactly the same. Lucky this put me off wanting dessert because there was only one option! I have to say though that the food was very nice and has been every time I've visited. No matter how nice the food is we won't be visiting again sorry

In my school days, as part of P.E., we would have to cycle through different sports every week. During 'cricket week', I vividly remember taking a cricket ball to the mouth. That accident was a better dining experience than the one I was subjected to at the Denn. It seriously felt like we were being set up by Melbourne 90's hit TV show 'Candid Camera'. The entree arrived burnt. One of the mains arrived without the necessary dietary alterations. The other didn't arrive at all. As if they hadn't already done enough to earn their 1.0 rating, the Chefs could be heard screaming and nearly coming to blows with one another over working hours. If anyone ever suggests this place for a meal, lob a cricket ball at their mouth and tell them.. 'ya better off'.

Been to Denn a few times and each one it's pretty much the same, friendly staff who don't rush you, and pretty good food!<br/><br/>Lamb pizza - definitely a favourite. It has the right amount of toppings and the base is always cooked well. Recommend this one.<br/><br/>Beef burger - Really enjoyed this and the mustard cream was different but tasty.<br/><br/>Rib Eye - nothing too special here. Came out a bit overcooked and have had better along High St for the same price.<br/><br/>The drinks are priced okay and it's not a place that will break the bank. So I recommend it to people if you want an easy, no frill night.

Pretty good food. I ordered the veggie paella which was tasty and fresh. The place was a little empty on a Sunday arvo, a little surprising. Prices a bit higher than I usually pay ($24 main) but I was full when I left. Service a little slow but acceptable. Waitress friendly. Everyone happy with their order@

Went to have coffee and cake here recently with a friend so I ordered a warm chocolate brownie with ice cream. The brownie was almost entirely raw and inedible to the point where I was able to taste the flour on the roof of my mouth. When I got home I began feeling sick in the stomach. Won't be coming here again.

I'm not the one to write a review but I feel people need to know this. Been here a few times in the last four weeks. Each visit I was denied an item item I wanted to order cos they had run out. Each time I ordered the fish curry only to be told that it is unavailable. The last visit which will be my last was over the weekend. Not only was I denied a fish curry again but we were also denied of 3 different bottles of wine cos they were out of stock after asking the waiter for a menu with things that are availabile he then recommended an alternate wine which was beautiful. Poor guy I could see the embarrassment in face. I really feel for the staff as I could over hear whom I presume to be the manager quietly talking with other staff about how embarrassed he is to continuously have to deny customers of they want. After all food was good service was great. But seriously to the owners get your act together if you want to succeed. And don't have a menu if half of it is never available. Can't guarantee I will be back!

Saturday lunch.  Their food fired pizza was above average, as was their baked eggs.  I did not try the Gippsland porterhouse steak, but was delicious by all accounts, and with fresh salad, it was good value.  Service was good, although that afternoon the patronage was light to really give it a test.  Afterwards go to Terra Madre a few stores down to grab some organic produce for later.

Only had the tapas menu, it's ok. Not the best flavours. The tastiest was the meatballs. <br/>The service was great.

Lunch today great. Large restaurant, quick service. Steaks cooked to perfection, fresh salad, vegetables cooked well. This was a great find and we left happy. Drinks nice and cold. Only suggestion is more jus and salt and pepper on tables. Everything else was just right.

Great menu, friendly service.. Didnt have a booking but was accomodated straight away. Well priced menu with extensive choices. Yummy dessert. Will be back again.

Disgusting!!!. Very poor service, even worst food and a chef that told me quote he " didn't give a sh@! " after we complained about the wait and inedible food. He told us his boss made him serve the really bad food. It was horrible and I would never go back!! They shouldn't be running a kitchen. Very unprofessional

Off meat. My partner and I had a vegetarian platter which was delicious then when our mains came which was the porterhouse steak, my meat tasted and smelt fine, it was a little burnt but I could deal with that. However my partners steak was disgusting. It smelt like baby diapers. There is no way this meat was edible. The first bite he had, it was burnt yet slimy and smelt awful. We then informed the waitress who told us it's impossible as it came from the same piece of meat as my own. With him barely touching his meal, they still charged us for an untouched off meal. Shocking restaurant, happy to serve customers food past the useby date just to make some money. We will never come back to this restaurant ever again.

Fantastic start to the new year. Went to Denn for dinner New Years Eve. Never been before. Very busy but we had booked a table. Very ecclectic environment and liked where we were seated upstairs. Saw the menu and decided on the bruschetta first and mushroom gnocchi for main. My friend ordered the spring roles and the pumpkin risotto. Told the waitress we had to leave by 9.00pm which she noted on the order. When the bruschetta arrived I <br/>was pleasantly surprised that it was served pizza style. From the first mouthful yum. The thin base was topped with the freshest of fresh tomatoes and herbs. It looked absolutely delicious and it was. The spring rolls were light and moorish, then came the mains. The moment I saw the mushroom gnocchi I thought if it tastes as good as it looks wow and it did. Can't begin to speak about the richness of flavour and my friend who is the risotto queen said it was the best pumpkin risotto she has had. Not only were the flavours outstanding it was cooked to perfection and did not leave you feeling like you ate a plate of stodgy food. I complimented the chef for a most pleasurable meal and to top if off at an exceptionally good price. Will definitely be going back. Hope it wasn't a one off. Happy New Year everyone!

Appauling. Very poor service, unfriendly staff. Restaurant wasn't busy so poor service wasn't due to that. People were sitting down to tables with the previous customers dirty dishes still at it. 15 minutes after being seated we ordered drinks and they didn't come for 20 more minutes. 2 seperate tables got up and left because they were not being served. At one point the chef was bringing out meals because the wait staff were occupied. Absolutely appaulling, would not return or recommend. Also, average food with small portions

Cremated hamburgers. First and last time to this establishment . Ordered their double meat $19 burger . Finally arrived after 40 minutes. The charred meat was beyond belief . Formed a thick black briquette coat on both sides . I told them to take it back and 20 minutes later replaced with the same cremated burnt offering ! What a joke !<br/>What a joke ! Asked for money back however they refused !

A Regular at Denn. Delicious food, full of flavour. <br/>I have been going to Denn regularly for the past 6 months and have been delighted with each meal.

Dissappointed. Went to Denn pre movie a month ago and was reasonably happy considering time limitations. This visit we were so disappointed we will not be returning. Rockling like rubber, tough steak and I don't know what they had done to the prawns! The service was inconsistant. There are many other good places to eat close by so this one is OFF our list.

Nice Food. I really enjoyed the foods and the excellent service. Keep it up guys :)

Not so kid friendly I went .... Not so kid friendly<br/>I went to Denn for an early Mother's Day dinner with my 11 year old and 14 year old son and were promptly shunted to the back of the reataurant to a table directly outside the kitchen even though there was plenty of space in the front main seating area. It soon became apparent when other diners arrived with kids in tow that this was denns quite surly and restrictive solution to isolating people with kids to one area of the restaurant. Whilst I have some empathy for people trying yo have an intimate dinner out and having to sit next to wriggly loud children I would have like to be consulted about where to sit and given a choice. I paid as much for my meal as other diners and hey - if you want intimate surely Mother's Day is not a great day to done out - particularly at 5 pm which is when we arrived.

Good food but terribly arrogant waiter. Had heard good things about this place and arrived without a booking for a table for 5 on a Wednesday night. We were greeted by a tall, balding waiter with a a goatee who seemed like it was such a hassle to organise a table for 5 even though the restaurant was half empty. Not a great start. Whilst we were ordering he was abrupt and seemed very distracted looking around and not really paying attention. The food was good but the attitude and service from the waiter was terrible. Its a shame because the atmosphere and food were both good but the experience was ruined by our waiter.

The restaurant was terribly HOT! They have little airCon. I do not recommend dining there on warm days. Service was mediocre. They seemed very unorganized. Food was average - steak overcooked, risotto undercooked, veggies undercooked. Overall, highly disappointed.

Sandy. Denn is very welcoming and the food is extraordinary. Love the tapas . And lamb special. Presentation on the plate was exceptional . Great food and service . I will be back.

Don. The resturant is really good. It welcomes us to all different types of Mediterranean food and my favourite was the pizza. The waiters are quick and this is the place you would want to be. I rate this restaurant five stars.

Great Service!. Had dinner at the Denn last night before our movie, amazing food choices- we went for the Tapas and finished off with dessert, chocholate pistachio with ice cream a MUST! Service was Fantastic, drinks was great, everything came out accordingly as we odered. Will DEFINITELY go back there. Thanks Denn and the Management!!

Lovely food, interesting service !. Ate here recently in a group of four. The food was great all round, and served in good time. The service was enthusiastic and friendly, but very disorganised. We were asked four times within five minutes if we wanted drinks, by four different wait staff. Then we were asked six times if we were ready to order food, again by different wait staff. Attention is great, but we were laughing about this in the end as it got so ridiculous. A little organisation required I think.

Lovely service, delicious flavours. Went here early on a Sat night before the movies. No reservation, but were accommodated no problem as it wasn't too busy. Lovely service, lots of variety on the menu. Went the salmon special - delicious food, well presented, just a bit small in terms of serve size. The meal description & price didn't give me the impression I should order an additional side to ensure I got enough food. The Pizzas might be a better option if I return.

Just a bad day??. Order incorrectly placed (ordered steak and not ask how wanted it cooked) and wrong meal delivered, entree arrived after some people finished mains. Dips and bread for 2 made to serve 5 by adding more bread (not dips), drinks didn't arrive, coopers stored upside down and served (sediment around neck), kids nuggets in edible as over cooked. They went some way towards fixing errors by offering drinks, but as it was about 5 separate problems I won't be back.

Awesome Highly Recommend. Love it. Food is great for price and the managers are very welcoming.

Extensive menu with good food. Presentation on the plate was exceptional. Serves weren't overly huge but we all enjoyed our meals and the ambience of the restaurant was good. The tapas dishes for entree were delicious. A lot of the tables have seat stools but you can ask for a backed chair if you prefer. The waiters and waitresses were great. I will return.

Very tasty pizzas. Thin, crusty base, good selection of toppings. Have been a couple of times, and would highly recommend them.

Not sure why this place gets such poor reviews! We went for dinner on a busy Saturday night and were seated and served right away, food was good and there was not a long wait. I was hesitant to try Denn due to the reviews but we would definitely go back! Yum!

Slow service. Had to wait 20 min for a bowl of porridge and chai lates despite only 5 customers at the time and when they finally came the porridge was cold. When we went to pay the minimum EFTPOS was $20! What is this the dark ages!

Undenniably bad. Don't bother. The first 2 mains took 45 minutes to arrive and the other 2 another 10 minutes more. When the final main arrived it was nothing like the menu described and had to be sent back. The cutlery we had used for our entrée was not replaced so we sat with our mains in front of us but could not eat them. It was a struggle to get staff attention all night and in the end I went and helped myself to the cutlery so we could eat and get out of there. The food quality was hit and miss and be careful of the menu. Items marked 'gluten free' all contained gluten and should have been marked 'can be made gluten free'. I wouldn't risk it though if you're sensitive as the staff didn't seem to know what did and didn't contain gluten. Once was enough.

Robert77. We went to Denn as we usually do for special occasions.once again absolute amazing food and great service .never lets you down .our favourite restaurant in melbourne by far.

Appalling service from a bad tempered manager/owner who seems to have forgotten what is required to succeed.<br/><br/>Food is average but edible bistro fare.

Bad service. A group of 6 of us visited Denn on a Sunday night and we were all left disappointed by the service. A 45 minute wait to receive entrees followed by another 45min wait to recieve mains indicates the kitchen is understaffed. The waitor tried his best, but he could only bring out what was being cooked.<br/>The food was ok, perhaps slightly overpriced, but definitely not worth the wait.

Visited Denn Bar last Saturday. The setup was spacious and appealing. Although the food was delicious, the servings were quite small. Staff were pleasant and attentive, though this may have been attributed to the fact it was very quiet.

Portions are rather small and plain in flavor. Service was very slow. Sorry to say not coming back.

Not sure why this place has such low ratings. Yet last reviews are good. We went here for b'day get together and both my partner and I enjoyed our meals and the atmosphere

Y Chen. Very nice and tasty food , I always going with my friend and we r enjoy the food. And very nice service staff

We went to Denn last Saturday and had a nice experience. I love the seafood paella and my husband had beef cheek, we enjoyed so much. Service is great <br/>Will go there next time

Nice dining experience. Food is great here, good variety and some exceptional flavours. <br/>We did have a few small problems with service, one meal was 10 minutes later than others for example, but the food made up for that issue. <br/>We have also ordered take away pizza in the past, and it is good but is always later than we are told.<br/>The atmosphere is lovely, nice interior design and friendly staff.

I won't be going back. My recent visit is the last time I go to Denn. This used to be a great place but these days the service is terrible. Garlic bread arrived after the mains etc. They also refused to accept the entertainment voucher without due cause and got aggressive when I questioned it.

Food was fantastic! Service was lacking a little bit, waiter forgot to bring out my drink. They did advise that they were unexpectedly busy, and they were rather apologetic, so I'm forgiving on this occasion. If go there again, the food was really yummy!

I was somewhat sceptical of eating at denn tonight after reading the reviews, but I had a entertainment book voucher to use so I thought I'd wing it. <br/>I'm glad I did, I thought the experience was pretty good. Ordered artichoke jumbo ravioli which was tasty but pretty pricey at $22.50- I was still a little hungry after. I split a choc pudding with a friend and was satisfied after that. We stayed for 2.5 hrs and watched two couples beside us leave and get replaced, but were not given the impression we should move on as they were busy so that was good. The food took about 45 to come out but that was ok as i expected it. I didn't have a lot to choose from being a vegetarian but I was happy with my meal. Overall a good experience, if I felt like a fancy meal or had cash to splash I'd come back. Don't let the negative votes dissuade you I'd say.

Fair. A long wait for a small expensive meal.

Is this a hat restaurant or not?? qulity of daily specials they have not second to a hat restaurant.. I had lamb rack and my wife had Fish of the day those two meals were amazing.. Love to go there often and no doubt that i recomend this place my mates..Awesome!!!!

The vegetarian platter and lamb salad were delicious. The lamb was so tender and tasty!

Can't recommend enough. I took a friend from out of town to Denn's the other night, and while we were there, i said to the manager that they must get good reviews, to which i was shocked to hear they are not... <br/>I have signed up to urbanspoon specifically to try and rectify that. I have been to Denn's now about 8 or 9 times, and bar the first time, i have had nothing but a fantastic experience. My first time, i was running to a tight schedual (for the movies) and our meal did not arrive, but the restaurant was at capacity, they were more than apologetic, and didn't charge us for our drinks. so I went back 2 days later... and ever since it has been an absolute pleasure.<br/>I have worked in the hospitality industry for over 15 years, and I would love to work there. The management treat their staff (and speak of them) very well, they look happy and the service is second to none. the menu is relatively creative and well considered.. the portions are perfect, the meals are not over priced, and everything i have tried has been superb. <br/>More often than not, i will order off the specials menu, it has always been different and have never been disappointed by what comes out. sometimes you have to wait a little while, but considering how busy it gets, i don't think the wait has ever been unreasonable, and it is always worth it.<br/><br/>Don't know what else to say, highly recommend it!<br/><br/>lots of love to the crew down there